Chapter 14

14

E lizabeth stroked Charlie’s cheek. His fever persisted, although, after two days, abated. He appeared to respond to the lukewarm water baths and compresses and the liquids they managed to give him. She was especially encouraged when she touched his bottom lip. The lad’s little tongue teased the pad of her finger before attaching himself, suckling hard.

Raging emotions jolted her. Delighted, she called Mrs. Carter away from feeding Clara.

At the same time, Darcy entered the nursery, his constant concern for the health of the child furrowed his brow. He took Clara from Mrs. Carter.

When the nurse was in position, for the first time, the boy never hesitated, taking long pulls, gulping milk until it dribbled out the sides of his mouth. It was such a turnaround from his prior efforts that Elizabeth reached for Clara, holding her next to her brother. Instantly, the babe settled, the corners of her pout lifting into what appeared to be a smile. Then, she belched, sounding more like a hardened sailor than a lovely little lady. Elizabeth and the other females chuckled. Darcy laughed. What a welcome sound in the nursery.

When the doctor came into the room, he confirmed that Darcy and Elizabeth had reason to rejoice, especially when little Charlie’s lower stomach rumbled to a roar.

He cautioned, “Continue to nurse him, Mrs. Carter. I do not hold with these modern ideas of giving an infant wine, watered-down honey or sugar, or cow’s milk. I have personally seen no success from using these measures. Instead, a colicky baby is most often the result. The babies will need to be kept warm and out of the wind. Both have weak lungs from their early birth. Allowing them to cry for short periods is healthy.”

“Thank you, Doctor.” Elizabeth rejoiced to see her husband relax.

The housekeeper tapped on the door frame. “Sir, Lord Matlock, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and the attorneys are awaiting you. I put them in the drawing room. Would you like me to direct them to your study?”

“If you would allow me a moment.”

After her husband departed, the housekeeper remained alongside her. Elizabeth asked if all was well.

“Mrs. Darcy, I have interviewed several women to serve as an additional wet nurse to aid Mrs. Carter. Of the many who applied, one woman, Mrs. Congden appears to be the best qualified of the candidates. Her milk was thick, creamy, and smelled sweet. Additionally, she reported that she bathed at least once each week. Her circumstances are that after she was widowed, she moved in with her sister, who willingly cares for Mrs. Congden’s eighteen-month-old daughter. This will allow Mrs. Congden to reside here.”

Elizabeth’s brows shot to the ceiling. The housekeeper examined the breast milk? The exceptionally detailed care and concern of Darcy House’s servants continued to impress her. And her husband? This was one more point in his favor.

Pleased with Mrs. Price’s devotion, Elizabeth said, “Then I shall look forward to having Mrs. Congden in the nursery.”

“She is below waiting for your approval. I shall bring her up directly.”

Once the housekeeper excused herself, Elizabeth could not help but reflect on the fact that despite being a wife for a mere two days, she knew more about babies and what it took to sustain them than she had learned in her almost twenty-three years prior. What in the world could she possibly learn next?

Interviewing Mrs. Congden opened her eyes to the plight of widows left with young children in a society where they were often overlooked. Although her circumstances were dire, Mrs. Congden proved to see the best of her situation. Elizabeth hired her immediately.

The new wet nurse settled into the nursery, happily feeding Clara. Charlie nursed regularly, his arms and legs free of his swaddling bands, celebrating his temporary liberation. He had the sweetest habit of crossing his fingers on each hand as if he were trying to grab hold of something precious. Elizabeth enjoyed observing every movement and every expression on the faces of the twins.

Hours later, after the doctor returned and examined Charlie, Elizabeth accompanied him downstairs in hopes of finding her husband available. Finding the study door open, the attorneys offered her a bow before they departed Darcy House, leaving Colonel Fitzwilliam and an older man in the room. She had no desire to apply for an introduction since her purpose was to reassure her husband.

Once Elizabeth captured Darcy’s eye, he approached her with a tight smile. Whatever business had been discussed between the gentlemen had apparently not been to Darcy’s satisfaction.

“Charlie has much improved,” Elizabeth said, not wanting to keep her husband in suspense.

His response meant everything to her; his shoulders and furrowed brow eased. “This is good news, indeed.”

As he spoke with the physician, who was donning his greatcoat and pulling on his gloves, Elizabeth studied every expression, storing each one in her heart.

“If it is convenient for you, would you join us?” Darcy asked her. “My uncle desires to meet my wife. Apparently, you were introduced to my cousin at your sister’s wedding.”

When he stepped back for her to precede him, she barely kept from smiling. Fitzwilliam Darcy was not a man to make his wife cower behind him. She was grateful that he was not antiquated in his thinking.

Focusing her attention on the gentleman she knew, Elizabeth said, “Colonel Fitzwilliam, I cannot help but believe that it was your quick action in retrieving the physician that saved little Charlie’s life. I thank you with my whole heart.”

He snapped his heels together and bowed. “No thanks are necessary, Mrs. Darcy. I am pleased to welcome you to our family.”

“As am I,” said the older man.

Darcy clasped his fingers around her elbow. “Elizabeth, I would like to introduce you to my uncle, Hugh Fitzwilliam, Lord Matlock.”

With a deep curtsey, she said, “My lord, I am pleased to meet you, and I thank you for your welcome. ”

“Mrs. Darcy, I fear that you and my nephew have not had the start to your marriage that I would have wished. Instead of taking a month for a wedding trip to get to know each other better, you are about to be embroiled in a legal onslaught that could distract you for years to come. Are you as determined as Darcy to see this through?”

“Without a doubt. One thing I already learned about my husband is that he is almost as stubborn as I am. We will face our foe together.”

“Very well.” Darcy’s uncle looked pleased. He said, “Mrs. Darcy, I am sorry to say that our investigators have had very little success finding anything that would disqualify Lord Armstrong from gaining guardianship.”

The pain in Elizabeth’s chest cut her like a knife. Gathering her composure, dreading the answer, she asked, “Lord Matlock, what is your opinion of Lord Armstrong? Is he a fair man? Does he listen to the opinions of others when you meet? Is he effective in arguing his point? Do you respect him? Do others of your acquaintance view him as a good man?”

Darcy’s uncle did not answer right away, increasing her nerves.

Finally, he said, “Mrs. Darcy, you ask difficult questions for which I only have difficult answers. Lord Armstrong is an effective orator with a considerable measure of influence. I cannot imagine that he would not listen to the advice or opinions offered by His Royal Highness, Prince George. As to the advice offered by any other man, including the officiating judge at the Court of Chancery, I cannot say. As to whether he is a good man, the simple truth is that I do not know him well enough. As to the specifics of our investigations,” He coughed. “I would never share what we have learned with a lady. ”

“Uncle.” Darcy’s nostrils flared as he reached for her hand. “These children are my wife’s niece and nephew by her most beloved sister. Elizabeth has, in the last week alone, been exposed to sights and sounds that few unmarried females would face until they were long married. The twins mean everything to her. She will worry unnecessarily if we withhold information. Therefore, I will keep nothing from her when it comes to our petition.”

While his uncle stammered, Elizabeth’s shock kept her silent. Darcy’s defense and the touch of his hand in hers robbed her of speech. Her husband, Fitzwilliam Darcy, the man who turned down his nose at her and her neighbors, treated her as an equal when it came to Charlie and Clara. She was…stunned. And very pleased.

“Well then.” Lord Matlock cleared his throat. “Like many of his peers, he is unfaithful to his wife.”

“I see,” she said, not able to think of anything more intelligent. “Are you?”

“Elizabeth!” Darcy exclaimed.

She hurried to explain. “I apologize for being overly forward, my lord.” Elizabeth raised a brow at Darcy’s uncle. “Nevertheless, if a man were to share the same poor habits as Lord Armstrong, his inclination might be to shrug it off as unimportant to the case or draw attention away from the matter so they would not appear to share the same guilt.”

Lord Matlock smiled. “I like your wife, Darcy. My answer to your probing question is an unequivocal ‘Never!’ My wife, whom I adore and respect, would dream up new methods of torture that would make the Inquisition child’s play if she even suspected I was with another woman.”

“Amen to that,” Colonel Fitzwilliam added, sliding back in his chair.

His father added, “Mrs. Darcy, you might find it interesting to know that when my sister married Gerald Darcy, I thought nothing good would come of her being wed to a farmer. A wealthy farmer, yes, but still a farmer. Your husband is not at his finest around strangers and is as full of himself as all young men his age. But once he has you as his friend, he is as loyal as a new pup. There’s no better man to have at your side during the trials to come than your husband, Mrs. Darcy.”

With a glance at Darcy, who stood silently beside her, she said, “I thank you for your reassurances, gentlemen. I have absolute confidence that you will do everything within your power to protect the babies.”

As soon as she left the room, all three men exhaled.

Richard recovered first. “I knew when I met her at Bingley’s wedding that she had a depth to her uncommon in the typical lady of our elevated rank. You will have your hands full, Darcy.”

Darcy responded with a grin. “I know.”

His cousin added, “I cannot see her being intimidated by the Darcy stare.”

“She is not,” he readily admitted.

His uncle noted, “I see your chest puffed up with pride, nephew. Good for you. A timid woman would never be the wife for you. We need to keep those children safe at Darcy House, or her grief will last a lifetime, which would hinder any attempts at a good marriage. I only wish we had more going for us.”

Richard stood. “Well, we will not gain any traction against Lord Armstrong sitting here. I am off to see what I can find. ”

“I will as well.” Lord Matlock followed his son out of the room.

Elizabeth went to the stillness of her bedchamber rather than the nursery. The babies were quiet, though she heard the low babble of the two nurses.

She wanted to hide her face in her hands. Good heavens! Asking an earl if he cheated on his wife. What was she thinking?

She was not thinking. The days of heartbreak followed by long hours of worry unsettled her until she was not sure anymore which way was up. Gratefully, at every turn, her husband bolstered her and comforted her. If she were not careful, she would begin to rely on him entirely.

Would that be so bad?

Recalling all their interactions, from the initial insult to his support of her in his study, Elizabeth acknowledged how much her attitude about Darcy changed. In fact, her opinion of him was quite the opposite of when they first met.

Flipping back the curtain and looking out to the bleak garden, the warmth of happiness budded deep in her soul. Each time Darcy favored her with his attention, her feelings about her husband flourished and grew. Instead of irritation and outrage when an image of him crossed her mind, she felt peace and consolation.

Oh, my goodness! Elizabeth’s hands went to her cheeks as her eyes widened and her mouth gaped open. She was beginning to fall head over heels in love with her husband.